A Wilson man has been sentenced to at least 20 years in prison for the shooting death of his aunt, closing a grim chapter in a family tragedy that shook a quiet neighborhood last fall.
Austin Chase Langley, 27, received a sentence of 20 to 25 years in the state prison system for the Nov. 5, 2024 killing of 48-year-old Tina Marie Bryant. Deputies found Bryant’s body inside her home, and the court gave Langley credit for the time he has already spent in jail awaiting trial. The case ended with an Alford-style plea that allowed the judge to impose a lengthy sentence without a full jury trial.
Sentence Follows Alford Plea
According to The Wilson Times, Langley entered an Alford plea to second-degree murder in Wilson County Superior Court and accepted a plea agreement that carried the two-decade prison term.
Prosecutors told the court that an autopsy showed Bryant was shot in the chest at close range. Deputies reported finding her body at the home at 3952 Chickasaw Court. The judge imposed the 20 to 25 year sentence and confirmed that Langley would receive credit for the time he had already spent behind bars since his arrest.
Family And Defense Urge Treatment
Langley’s attorney, Kaelyn Noel Sweet, told The Wilson Times that her client “demonstrates remorse” and “has a severe problem with methamphetamine.” In court, family member Brandy Harris urged the judge to ensure Langley receives help for his anger issues.
Assistant District Attorney Kristen Spainhour argued that Langley’s drug use and anger problems were part of the reason a substantial prison term was necessary, according to the courtroom reporting. The sentencing is the latest step in a case that began when investigators found Bryant dead inside her Wilson home in November 2024.
Legal Note: What An Alford Plea Means
An Alford plea lets a defendant accept a criminal sentence while still maintaining innocence, as long as the court finds there is a factual basis for the charge. The Legal Information Institute at Cornell explains that an Alford plea operates like a guilty plea for sentencing and other legal consequences, even when the defendant does not admit committing the crime.
That distinction can carry ripple effects in areas such as civil lawsuits and immigration, since an Alford plea is treated as a conviction in most legal contexts.
Judge R. Andrew Womble granted Langley credit for the time he spent in jail before the plea and ordered that he be transferred to the Department of Adult Corrections to begin serving his sentence. Members of Bryant’s family said the ruling brings some measure of closure, even as their public calls for Langley to receive treatment underscore how often addiction and violence collide in local courtrooms.
